ORLANDO – This was a homecoming for Dennis Scott, who spent the first seven years of his career here before being traded to the Mavs before the 1997-98 season after criticizing Magic management.

Was 3-D looking for sweet revenge last night against the Magic?

He said he wasn’t, but you knew he was, especially when you saw his sweat-soaked T-shirt before the game as he worked extra long on his jump shot.

“Early in my career, I would have probably felt that way, but it’s all about winning and I’m in a good situation to get back to the playoffs and taste what we did in 1995,” Scott said of his new Knick days.

Scott still lives here. He ripped into management at a summer basketball camp before he was traded.

“People are going to have their own perceptions, but I only know how to be Dennis,” said Scott. “I know I have a lot of people in this city who still love me, who see me on my Sea-doos in the water, and I’m the same old guy. It was just one time I got tired of being the whipping boy and I spoke my mind. Other than that I’m the same person.”

He couldn’t be happier with the Knicks.

“It’s a real good situation, especially when you had certain people saying I wasn’t going to be in the league, and certain people in the [Magic] front office saying I wasn’t going to be around anymore. It’s amazing how after all the fun times, when we had this place rocking that all of a sudden they thought I couldn’t play no more. You make a business move to try to get better and I don’t know if they got better, trading me.”

Scott was traded for guard Derek Harper and forward Ed O’Bannon, two players long gone from the Magic. *

Dominque Wilkins, 39, signed with the Magic yesterday and will join his brother Gerald. This is the sixth time in NBA history two brothers have played on the same team. The others were Caldwell and Charlie Jones, 1984-85 with the Bulls; Caldwell and Major Jones with the Rockets, 1982-84. Al and Dick McGuire 1951-54 with the Knicks; Mark and Brent Price, 1995-96 with the Bullets and Tom and Dick Van Arsdale, 1976-77 with the Suns. Gerald’s son is a star player at nearby Dr. Phillips High School and will play at North Carolina State next season.

“It’s great to finally play with ‘Nique,” said Gerald, 35, who passed his No. 21 jersey to his brother.

*The Magic had a new look with uniforms designed by New York fashion designer Jhane Barnes. The Knicks, wore a black stripe on their left shoulder in memory of Red Holzman.

Besides his offense, the Knicks are looking for a huge defensive contribution from Latrell Sprewell. Sprewell often will be matched on the opposing team’s best scorer, either at small forward or shooting guard.